1. 2010 Chile Earthquake
The magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck at 3:34 am. The epicentre was located some 200 miles (325 km) southwest of the Chilean capital of Santiago, and the focus occurred at a depth of about 22 miles (35 km) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake—resulting from the rupture of a 300- to 375-mile (500- to 600-km) stretch of the fault that separates the South American Plate from the subducting Nazca Plate—was felt as far away as São Paolo, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A 2014 study contended that water pressure built up between the two plates had been the catalyst. The initial event was succeeded in the following weeks by hundreds of aftershocks, many of them of magnitude 5.0 or greater. Because the region’s violent tectonic history had made it a focus of seismological study and monitoring, extant GPS sensors installed in Chile and neighbouring countries allowed the detection of subtle shifts in the location of cities, including Concepción and even Buenos Aires, as a result of the quake. A NASA computer model ascertained that the powerful force of the subducting plate had shifted Earth’s axis sufficiently to shorten the day by more than a microsecond. A study of the aftershocks released in 2014 indicated that two anomalously dense rock structures beneath the South American Plate, previously undetected, had likely slowed the rupture and, as a result, intensified shaking at the surface.Stress brought on by the convergence of the two tectonic plates caused rocks to shatter along the boundary between them. This forced a portion of the seabed upward, displacing the water above and triggering a tsunami. The earthquake caused $15 billion to $30 billion worth of damage.
Damage many buildings still sustained significant damage, including nearly 400,000 homes. Particularly affected were Maule and Biobío, two first-order administrative districts along Chile’s southern coast. Large areas of Biobío were left without major services, including water, electricity, and gas, and the tall buildings of Concepción—the capital of the district and one of Chile’s largest cities—were among those most severely damaged.
Chilean government officials estimated that two million people had been directly affected by the quake. The Chilean National Emergency Office—initially responsible for documenting the casualties—estimated that more than 800 had died. However, as the Interior Ministry reviewed the data in the following weeks, the official total fluctuated significantly as missing persons were located and computational errors were discovered, leading to a reduction of the death toll by hundreds. Official tallies ultimately attributed more than 500 deaths to the disaster; 150 of those casualties were caused by the tsunami.
The Chilean army dispatched more than 10,000 troops to the devastated areas around the epicentre to direct recovery operations and keep the peace the day after the quake. Though Bachelet initially stated that Chile would not require assistance from other countries, she later requested United Nations aid and accepted offers of money and supplies from the United States, the European Union, and several Asian countries. At the time of the earthquake, only two weeks from ceding power to her successor, Sebastián Piñera, Bachelet was beset by criticism that her initial reluctance to deploy the armed forces was a politically motivated maneuver to avoid echoing the regime of military dictator Augusto Pinochet. However, as Piñera ascended to the presidency on March 11 in a ceremony rocked by aftershocks, much of the chaos of the early days of the disaster had subsided and reconstruction efforts were under way.
2. 2011 Japan Earthquake
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook northeastern Japan, unleashing a savage tsunami.
The effects of the great earthquake were felt around the world, from Norway's fjords to Antarctica's ice sheet. Tsunami debris continues to wash up on North American beaches two years later.
Japan still recovering In Japan, residents are still recovering from the disaster. Radioactive water was recently discovered leaking from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which suffered a level 7 nuclear meltdown after the tsunami. Japan relies on nuclear power, and many of the country's nuclear reactors remain closed because of stricter seismic safety standards since the earthquake. Two years after the quake, about 300,000 people who lost their homes were still living in temporary housing, the Japanese government said.
Japan's scientists had predicted a smaller earthquake would strike the northern region of Honshu, the country's main island. Nor did they expect such a large tsunami. But there had been hints of the disaster to come. The areas flooded in 2011 closely matched those of a tsunami that hit Sendai in 869. In the decade before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, a handful of Japanese geologists had begun to recognize that a large earthquake and tsunami had struck the northern Honshu region in 869. However, their warnings went unheeded by officials responsible for the country's earthquake hazard assessments. Now, tsunami experts from around the world have been asked to assess the history of past tsunamis in Japan, to better predict the country's future earthquake risk.
The cause The 2011 Tohoku earthquake struck offshore of Japan, along a subduction zone where two of Earth's tectonic plates collide. In a subduction zone, one plate slides beneath another into the mantle, the hotter layer beneath the crust. The great plates stick and slip, causing earthquakes. East of Japan, the Pacific plate dives beneath the overriding Eurasian plate. The temblor completely released centuries of built up stress between the two tectonic plates, a recent study found.
Early warning Residents of Tokyo received a minute of warning before the strong shaking hit the city, thanks to Japan's earthquake early warning system. The country's stringent seismic building codes and early warning system prevented many deaths from the earthquake, by stopping high-speed trains and factory assembly lines. People in Japan also received texted alerts of the earthquake warning on their cellphones.
Deaths More than 18,000 people were killed in the disaster. Most died by drowning.
Less than an hour after the earthquake, the first of many tsunami waves hit Japan's coastline. The tsunami waves reached run-up heights (how far the wave surges inland above sea level) of up to 128 feet (39 meters) at Miyako city and traveled inland as far as 6 miles (10 km) in Sendai. The tsunami flooded an estimated area of approximately 217 square miles (561 square kilometers) in Japan.
The waves overtopped and destroyed protective tsunami seawalls at several locations. The massive surge destroyed three-story buildings where people had gathered for safety. Near Oarai, the tsunami generated a huge whirlpool offshore, captured on video.
Nuclear meltdown The tsunami caused a cooling system failure at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which resulted in a level 7 nuclear meltdown and release of radioactive materials. About 300 tons of radioactive water continues to leak from the plant every day into the Pacific Ocean, affecting fish and other marine life.
The response In the tsunami's aftermath, Japan's Meteorological Agency was criticized for issuing an initial tsunami warning that underestimated the size of the wave. The cost of the damage was $309 billion. The country recently unveiled a newly installed, upgraded tsunami warning system. In some regions, such as Miyagi and Fukushima, only 58 percent of people headed for higher ground immediately after the earthquake, according to a government study. Many people alsoThe country recently unveiled a newly installed, upgraded tsunami warning system. In some regions, such as Miyagi and Fukushima, only 58 percent of people headed for higher ground immediately after the earthquake, according to a government study. Many people also underestimated their personal risk, or assumed the tsunami would be as small as ones they had previously experienced, the study found.
The effects of the great earthquake were felt around the world, from Norway's fjords to Antarctica's ice sheet. Tsunami debris continues to wash up on North American beaches two years later.
Japan still recovering In Japan, residents are still recovering from the disaster. Radioactive water was recently discovered leaking from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which suffered a level 7 nuclear meltdown after the tsunami. Japan relies on nuclear power, and many of the country's nuclear reactors remain closed because of stricter seismic safety standards since the earthquake. Two years after the quake, about 300,000 people who lost their homes were still living in temporary housing, the Japanese government said.
Japan's scientists had predicted a smaller earthquake would strike the northern region of Honshu, the country's main island. Nor did they expect such a large tsunami. But there had been hints of the disaster to come. The areas flooded in 2011 closely matched those of a tsunami that hit Sendai in 869. In the decade before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, a handful of Japanese geologists had begun to recognize that a large earthquake and tsunami had struck the northern Honshu region in 869. However, their warnings went unheeded by officials responsible for the country's earthquake hazard assessments. Now, tsunami experts from around the world have been asked to assess the history of past tsunamis in Japan, to better predict the country's future earthquake risk.
The cause The 2011 Tohoku earthquake struck offshore of Japan, along a subduction zone where two of Earth's tectonic plates collide. In a subduction zone, one plate slides beneath another into the mantle, the hotter layer beneath the crust. The great plates stick and slip, causing earthquakes. East of Japan, the Pacific plate dives beneath the overriding Eurasian plate. The temblor completely released centuries of built up stress between the two tectonic plates, a recent study found.
Early warning Residents of Tokyo received a minute of warning before the strong shaking hit the city, thanks to Japan's earthquake early warning system. The country's stringent seismic building codes and early warning system prevented many deaths from the earthquake, by stopping high-speed trains and factory assembly lines. People in Japan also received texted alerts of the earthquake warning on their cellphones.
Deaths More than 18,000 people were killed in the disaster. Most died by drowning.
Less than an hour after the earthquake, the first of many tsunami waves hit Japan's coastline. The tsunami waves reached run-up heights (how far the wave surges inland above sea level) of up to 128 feet (39 meters) at Miyako city and traveled inland as far as 6 miles (10 km) in Sendai. The tsunami flooded an estimated area of approximately 217 square miles (561 square kilometers) in Japan.
The waves overtopped and destroyed protective tsunami seawalls at several locations. The massive surge destroyed three-story buildings where people had gathered for safety. Near Oarai, the tsunami generated a huge whirlpool offshore, captured on video.
Nuclear meltdown The tsunami caused a cooling system failure at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which resulted in a level 7 nuclear meltdown and release of radioactive materials. About 300 tons of radioactive water continues to leak from the plant every day into the Pacific Ocean, affecting fish and other marine life.
The response In the tsunami's aftermath, Japan's Meteorological Agency was criticized for issuing an initial tsunami warning that underestimated the size of the wave. The cost of the damage was $309 billion. The country recently unveiled a newly installed, upgraded tsunami warning system. In some regions, such as Miyagi and Fukushima, only 58 percent of people headed for higher ground immediately after the earthquake, according to a government study. Many people alsoThe country recently unveiled a newly installed, upgraded tsunami warning system. In some regions, such as Miyagi and Fukushima, only 58 percent of people headed for higher ground immediately after the earthquake, according to a government study. Many people also underestimated their personal risk, or assumed the tsunami would be as small as ones they had previously experienced, the study found.
3. 2012 San Francisco Earthquake
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that a magnitude-3.5 quake struck at 5:33 a.m. about eight miles northeast of San Francisco in the city of El Cerrito. It was followed eight seconds later by a magnitude-4.0 temblor, said geophysicist Paul Caruso. The USGS originally reported that the first quake had a magnitude of 2.9.
The shaking was felt within a 60-mile radius, from Santa Rosa in the north to Santa Cruz in the south.
The California Highway Patrol, San Francisco police and El Cerrito police said they didn't receive any immediate reports of injury or damage.Bay Area commuter trains were briefly delayed after the quake to inspect the tracks.Seismologists said the quake appeared to occur on the Hayward Fault, a seismically active fault that runs along the eastern San Francisco Bay. A 2003 USGS report said the Hayward Fault had the highest chance — 27% — of producing a large earthquake of magnitude-6.7 or higher in the Bay Area within 30 years.Earthquakes create numerous hazards. Among them are strong ground shaking, landslides, and soil failure. These can lead to building collapse, fire, and major disruptions to transportation systems.
In the bay area, the legal requirements for building homes and structures for earthquakes involve the building code that’s adopted by each of the local communities. The building code requires buildings to be built a certain way. If they’re small buildings, we call those prescriptive requirements and for major buildings, it sets out the design guidelines that engineers need to use to make the buildings seismically safe. The building codes used in the bay area are really quite effective. They are based on national standards that are adopted by the state of California and by each city within the bay area. They need to be enforced. They need to be properly applied. They need to have inspection to make sure that they’ve been done correctly. The cost of damage totaled up to $48 million.
Today engineers are using tools such as computer modeling and analysis tools to actually visualize what will a building do in an earthquake so they can look at all of the impacts of a building and watch it move, and find out what the weak points are of the building and then build it stronger to withstand earthquakes.
How to prevent any injuries or damages during an earthquake
Here are some of the ways in which you can prepare yourself and your family for an earthquake.
- earthquake proof the interior of your house. This includes securing bookshelves and other top-heavy furniture to the wall. Strapping down large electronics, securing your hot water heater, and knowing how to shut off your home’s natural gas line.
- preselect a meeting place for your family, as communication by telephone may be limited or impossible after an earthquake.
- make a disaster preparedness kit and store it in an accessible location. Information on what to include can be found on the Red Cross website.
- identify your home’s potential weaknesses and fix them.
- plan how to protect yourself during an earthquake wherever you are. The next earthquake could strike at anytime.
- after an earthquake check for injuries and damage. If you go home after an earthquake or any incident and you notice that any of those four are moving, that indicates a large quantity of gas is leaking somewhere and it’s a reason to turn it off. Find the pipe, which is coming up out of the ground to your meter and it’s going to have a valve on it that looks just like this. Straight up and down means that the gas is flowing, because it’s going upwards out of the ground. Take your wrench, move it a quarter turn so that that is now perpendicular to the pipe that indicates that the gas flow is shut off, you’re good to go.
Volcanoes
1. 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption
The 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption is a volcanic eruption that began in the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex in Chile on June 4, 2011. Misleadingly called by media the Puyehue eruption – the eruption is actually from the Cordón Caulle fissure. At least 3,500 people were evacuated from nearby areas, while the ash cloud was blown across cities all around the Southern hemisphere, including Bariloche, Buenos Aires,Montevideo, Stanley, Porto Alegre, CapeTown, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne,Wellington and Auckland, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of international and domestic flights and causing travel chaos.
By June 18th, the ash cloud had completed its first circle of the globe. The Chilean civil aviation authority said that "the tip of the cloud that has travelled around the world has more or less reached the town of Coyhaique", about 600 kilometres south of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle An estimated one hundred million tons of ash, sand and pumice were ejected – requiring power equivalent to 70 atomic bombs. The Southern Andean Volcano Observatory (OVDAS) of Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería de Chile (SERNAGEOMIN) reported on April 27, 2011, 15:30 local time, an increased seismicity at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle and set the alert Level to 3, Yellow.
on June 3rd, OVDAS reported that about 1,450 earthquakes at Puyehue-Cordón Caulle were detected, or an average of about 60 earthquakes per hour. Scientists and regional authorities flew over the volcano, noting no significant changes. The alert level remained at 3, yellow. Area residents reported feeling earthquakes during the evening of 3 June through the morning of 4 June.
On 4 June, at 11:30 local time, a new round of eruption in the Puyehue volcano began. For a six-hour period on 4 June seismic activity increased to an average of 230 earthquakes per hour, at depths of 1–4 km. About 12 events were magnitudes greater than 4 of Richter magnitude, and 50 events were magnitudes greater than 3. The alert level was raised to 5, red.
At 15:15 local time OVDAS reported an explosion and a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)-wide ash-and-gas plume that rose to an altitude of 10 kilometres (33,000 ft) above sea level. The plume drifted south at 5 kilometres (16,000 ft) altitude, and southeast and east at 10 kilometres (33,000 ft) altitude. The alert level was raised to 6, red.
According to Argentine physicists, the eruption sent one hundred million tons of ash, sand and pumice stone, equivalent to the load of 24 million trucks of sand and released power equivalent to 70 atomic bombs.The eruption, though violent, will also refertilize the land and rivers
A "red alert" was declared pre-emptively by the National Emergencies' Office (ONEMI) for regions near the volcano: Puyehue, Río Bueno, Futrono, and Lago Ranco; initially 600 persons were evacuated. The "red alert" was later extended for the Los Ríos Region area: the areas of Pocura, Pichico, Los Venados, Contrafuerte, El Zapallo, Futangue, Pitreño, Trahuico, Riñinahue Alto, Ranquil, Chanco, Epulafquén, Las Quemas, Licán, Boqueal, Rucatayo, and Mantilhue were evacuated; and areas in the Los Lagos Regionsuch as El Retiro, Anticura, El Caulle, Forestal Comaco, and Anticura Pajaritos were also evacuated, increasing the number to at least 3,000 total evacuated people. It was reported that, at first, large land- and farm-owners in Chilean rural areas near the volcano did not allow workers to be evacuated According to Chilean authorities, the evacuated persons "would be relocated in temporary shelters in safe areas." There are no reports of deaths or injuries.
The families who refused to be evacuated from the riverbed of Rio Nilahue were removed by force by the Carabineros de Chile after a resolution of the Appeal Court of Valdivia. It took the police more than 8 hours to evacuate 40 people. People resisted mainly because they had to leave their livestock behind. Small livestock farmers were permitted to check and care for their livestock once a day.
On June 17, 2011, OVDAS reported that the ash-and-gas plume reached 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) above sea level, and the frequency of earthquakes had dropped to 5 per hour. They reduced the alert level from 6 (moderate eruption) to 5 (imminent eruption), and at least 100 evacuated persons were allowed to return home. People from the Northeast side of the Cordón (Nilahue and Gol Gol Valley) will stay in the shelters. Argentina's president, Cristina Fernández, announced on national television plans to supply $2.41 billion to 1,400 farmers and businesses in the area affected by the ash cloud. They also plan to spend $7 million on the cleanup operation, and double social benefits, and defer tax payments for the hardest hit regions.
2. 2011Mount Merapi Eruption
This eruption was located in South East Asia in the country of Indonesia. It is North of Yogyakarta and West of Solo on the island of Java. It is 1,700m high and has been erupting regularly since the 1500s.The volcano and its eruptions were caused by the Indo-Australian Plate being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. The volcano is located on a destructive plate margin at a subduction zone and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Government officials reported economic losses from the eruption will surpass $600 million (5.5 trillion Rupiah), due to the death of livestock and damage to the tourism, manufacturing and agricultural sectors. An estimate of 273 being killed and 577 people were injured. The Secondary Hazards that took place prior to this eruption involved people, particularly farmers, lost their homes and livelihoods. The evacuation centres were overcrowded leading to poor sanitation, no privacy and serious disease risk 360,000 people were displaced from their homes.
How To Stay Safe During Volcanoes
• Stay away from active volcanoes.
• If you live near an active volcano, keep goggles and a mask in an emergency kit, along with a flashlight and a working, battery-operated radio.
• Know your evacuation route. Keep gas in your car.
If a Volcano Erupts in Your Area
• Evacuate only as recommended by authorities to stay clear of lava, mud flows, and flying rocks and debris.
• Avoid river areas and low-lying regions.
• Before you leave the house, change into long-sleeved shirts and long pants and use goggles or eyeglasses, not contacts. Wear an emergency mask or hold a damp cloth over your face.
• If you are not evacuating, close windows and doors and block chimneys and other vents, to prevent ash from coming into the house.
• Be aware that ash may put excess weight on your roof and need to be swept away. Wear protection during cleanups.
• Ash can damage engines and metal parts, so avoid driving. If you must drive, stay below 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour.
The 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption is a volcanic eruption that began in the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex in Chile on June 4, 2011. Misleadingly called by media the Puyehue eruption – the eruption is actually from the Cordón Caulle fissure. At least 3,500 people were evacuated from nearby areas, while the ash cloud was blown across cities all around the Southern hemisphere, including Bariloche, Buenos Aires,Montevideo, Stanley, Porto Alegre, CapeTown, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne,Wellington and Auckland, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of international and domestic flights and causing travel chaos.
By June 18th, the ash cloud had completed its first circle of the globe. The Chilean civil aviation authority said that "the tip of the cloud that has travelled around the world has more or less reached the town of Coyhaique", about 600 kilometres south of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle An estimated one hundred million tons of ash, sand and pumice were ejected – requiring power equivalent to 70 atomic bombs. The Southern Andean Volcano Observatory (OVDAS) of Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería de Chile (SERNAGEOMIN) reported on April 27, 2011, 15:30 local time, an increased seismicity at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle and set the alert Level to 3, Yellow.
on June 3rd, OVDAS reported that about 1,450 earthquakes at Puyehue-Cordón Caulle were detected, or an average of about 60 earthquakes per hour. Scientists and regional authorities flew over the volcano, noting no significant changes. The alert level remained at 3, yellow. Area residents reported feeling earthquakes during the evening of 3 June through the morning of 4 June.
On 4 June, at 11:30 local time, a new round of eruption in the Puyehue volcano began. For a six-hour period on 4 June seismic activity increased to an average of 230 earthquakes per hour, at depths of 1–4 km. About 12 events were magnitudes greater than 4 of Richter magnitude, and 50 events were magnitudes greater than 3. The alert level was raised to 5, red.
At 15:15 local time OVDAS reported an explosion and a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)-wide ash-and-gas plume that rose to an altitude of 10 kilometres (33,000 ft) above sea level. The plume drifted south at 5 kilometres (16,000 ft) altitude, and southeast and east at 10 kilometres (33,000 ft) altitude. The alert level was raised to 6, red.
According to Argentine physicists, the eruption sent one hundred million tons of ash, sand and pumice stone, equivalent to the load of 24 million trucks of sand and released power equivalent to 70 atomic bombs.The eruption, though violent, will also refertilize the land and rivers
A "red alert" was declared pre-emptively by the National Emergencies' Office (ONEMI) for regions near the volcano: Puyehue, Río Bueno, Futrono, and Lago Ranco; initially 600 persons were evacuated. The "red alert" was later extended for the Los Ríos Region area: the areas of Pocura, Pichico, Los Venados, Contrafuerte, El Zapallo, Futangue, Pitreño, Trahuico, Riñinahue Alto, Ranquil, Chanco, Epulafquén, Las Quemas, Licán, Boqueal, Rucatayo, and Mantilhue were evacuated; and areas in the Los Lagos Regionsuch as El Retiro, Anticura, El Caulle, Forestal Comaco, and Anticura Pajaritos were also evacuated, increasing the number to at least 3,000 total evacuated people. It was reported that, at first, large land- and farm-owners in Chilean rural areas near the volcano did not allow workers to be evacuated According to Chilean authorities, the evacuated persons "would be relocated in temporary shelters in safe areas." There are no reports of deaths or injuries.
The families who refused to be evacuated from the riverbed of Rio Nilahue were removed by force by the Carabineros de Chile after a resolution of the Appeal Court of Valdivia. It took the police more than 8 hours to evacuate 40 people. People resisted mainly because they had to leave their livestock behind. Small livestock farmers were permitted to check and care for their livestock once a day.
On June 17, 2011, OVDAS reported that the ash-and-gas plume reached 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) above sea level, and the frequency of earthquakes had dropped to 5 per hour. They reduced the alert level from 6 (moderate eruption) to 5 (imminent eruption), and at least 100 evacuated persons were allowed to return home. People from the Northeast side of the Cordón (Nilahue and Gol Gol Valley) will stay in the shelters. Argentina's president, Cristina Fernández, announced on national television plans to supply $2.41 billion to 1,400 farmers and businesses in the area affected by the ash cloud. They also plan to spend $7 million on the cleanup operation, and double social benefits, and defer tax payments for the hardest hit regions.
2. 2011Mount Merapi Eruption
This eruption was located in South East Asia in the country of Indonesia. It is North of Yogyakarta and West of Solo on the island of Java. It is 1,700m high and has been erupting regularly since the 1500s.The volcano and its eruptions were caused by the Indo-Australian Plate being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. The volcano is located on a destructive plate margin at a subduction zone and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Government officials reported economic losses from the eruption will surpass $600 million (5.5 trillion Rupiah), due to the death of livestock and damage to the tourism, manufacturing and agricultural sectors. An estimate of 273 being killed and 577 people were injured. The Secondary Hazards that took place prior to this eruption involved people, particularly farmers, lost their homes and livelihoods. The evacuation centres were overcrowded leading to poor sanitation, no privacy and serious disease risk 360,000 people were displaced from their homes.
How To Stay Safe During Volcanoes
• Stay away from active volcanoes.
• If you live near an active volcano, keep goggles and a mask in an emergency kit, along with a flashlight and a working, battery-operated radio.
• Know your evacuation route. Keep gas in your car.
If a Volcano Erupts in Your Area
• Evacuate only as recommended by authorities to stay clear of lava, mud flows, and flying rocks and debris.
• Avoid river areas and low-lying regions.
• Before you leave the house, change into long-sleeved shirts and long pants and use goggles or eyeglasses, not contacts. Wear an emergency mask or hold a damp cloth over your face.
• If you are not evacuating, close windows and doors and block chimneys and other vents, to prevent ash from coming into the house.
• Be aware that ash may put excess weight on your roof and need to be swept away. Wear protection during cleanups.
• Ash can damage engines and metal parts, so avoid driving. If you must drive, stay below 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour.